t tickers



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1-.

' D. VICKERS. BREEGH LOADING ORDNANGE.

No. 578,172. Patented Mar. 2, 1897. I

3 Sheets-Sheet; 2.

Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

D. VIGKERS. BREEGH LOADING 011mm mm.

(No Model.)

mm x.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

DOUGLAS VICKERS, OF SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND.

BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,172, dated March 2,1897. Application filed March 6, 1896. Serial No. 582,093. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DOUGLAS V ICKERS, a citizen of England, residing atRiver Don Works, Sheffield, in the county of York, England, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Breech-LoadingOrdnance, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the mechanism for opening and closing thebreech of a breechloading gun, which mechanism I arrange in such mannerthat a continuance of the same action which rotates and u nlocks thebreechplug swings it out of the gun around the pivot on which it ismounted. The closing of the breech and the locking of the plug aresimilarly effected by the reverse action.

I shall describe this invention, referring to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a gun having a breech mechanism inaccordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a part section on the line 1 1of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a plan. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation, and Fig. 5is a plan, of the breech-plug being unlocked, the dotted lines in Fig. 5showing the breech-plug swung out. Fig. 6 is a part section on the line6 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the plug-carrier andsliding bar.

In the plug-carrier A is fitted a horizontal sliding bar B, one end ofwhich is connected by a pin B, engaged in a sliding block C working in aslotted hole O, to a lever C, which is mounted on the same pivot G withthe carrier A and which can be moved by hand, or it might be byworm-gear in the case of a large gun. The other end of the sliding bar Bis connected by a link D to a stud E, projecting from the rear face ofthe breechplug E, this link D standing at right angles to the bar B, ornearly so, when the plug E is locked in the breech G.

The breech-plug E may be of any suitable form that will swing out clearof the gun immediately after being unlocked without requiring anylongitudinal movement to the rear.

lhe breech-plugE is fitted to turn on a fixed stud A, projecting inwardfrom the carrier A, by screwthreads, preferably interrupted and equal inpitch to the threads of the breechplug E.

The action in opening the breech is as follows: On swinging the lever Caway from the gun the sliding bar B is moved some distance horizontallytoward the pivot G of the carrierA. This movement of the bar B by meansof the connection of the link D to the stud E causes the plug E to turnpartly around, at first slowly and then more rapidly, until it becomesunlocked. The stud E having then reached the end of a curved groove Ecutfor it in the carrier-arm, as shown in Fig. 4, the plug can turn nofarther. The extent to which the plug E is turned so as to unlock it isso smallafraction of a complete revolution, generally about one-sixth,and the pitch of the thread on the stud A is so small that the plug E inmaking its partial revolution for unlocking screws itself a very littleway on the stud A. By continuing to swing the lever O away from the gunthe carrier A is swung out, withdrawing the plug E from the breech. Asthe carrier recedes from the breech-face of the gun a catch H, which waspressed against a spring while its end was bearing against the rear faceof the gun, is allowed to move forward in obedience to the spring,entering a notch in the flange of the breech-plug E, so as to preventthe plug E from turning on the stud A when it is partially or wholly outof the breech.

By swinging the lever C toward the gun the plug E is first introducedinto the breech G. The catch H, meeting the breech, is pushed back, sothat when the plug is in position for lockin g its notch is no longeroccupied by the catch 11 and the plug is free to turn on the stud A. Byfurther movement of the lever O the plugis turned partly around andlocked. The center of the pin D, connecting the bar B to the link D, isso arranged as to pass the vertical line of the center of E, thuspreventing the plug E from becoming unlocked by the shock when the gunis fired.

On the face of the plug-carrier Ais fitted a spring-catch A having arounded end entering a hollow of the lever C, so as to prevent the leverfrom dropping by gravity when the breech end of the gun is depressed,but to yield, allowing it to be pulled rearward by hand.

Ahook X, projecting from the carrierAand fittinginto another hookX,fixed to the breech of the gun, serves to steady the carriervertically when it is subjected to the strains of locking and unlocking.

For the purpose of locking the carrier against the breech a bolt R,fitted in the carrier A, is provided at its upper end with a projectionR, which works in a partly straight and partly inclined groove B in thebar B. By the movement of the bar B in closing the breech the bolt It ispushed into a bolt-hole on a projection S, fixed to the breech.

Having thus described the nature of this invention and the best means Iknow of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim- 1. Incombination with the breech-plug of a gun, an actuating lever a carrierin which is fitted a sliding bar, its one end having a pin working in aslotted hole in the actuatinglever, its other end connected by a link toa stud projecting from the breech-plug, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In combination with the breech-plug of a gun, an actuating-lever acarrier in which is fitted a sliding bar, its one end having a pinworking in a slotted hole in the actuatinglever, its other end connectedby a link to a stud projecting from the breech-plug, a hook projectingdown from the carrier adapted to engage with a hook on the breech of thegun, and a bolt having a projection on its stem engaged in a slot partlyinclined of the sliding bar, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my.

DOUGLAS VICKERS.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY GLovER CooLEY, GEORGE IIARMAN.

